Abstract:
Youth in Kenya constitute approximately two thirds of the total population. They continue to face various challenges ranging from unemployment; societal negative perceptions; malnutrition; drugs and substance abuse; inadequate or non-existence of youth friendly health facilities; peer pressure and lack of involvement in decision making in various positions. This has called for use of youth development approach interventions to ensure youth empowerment. Such interventions include talent nurturing programs, revival of youth polytechnics, entrepreneurship trainings; youth enterprise development fund program and youth mentoring programmes. In Kenya, mentoring is a relatively new concept with little being documented about it. However, studies done in developed countries have shown that mentoring has resulted to youth empowerment. Therefore, the study sought to find out the influence of mentoring on youth empowerment in secondary schools in Njoro Sub-County, Nakuru County. The study was guided by the social learning theory. A descriptive survey research design was carried out in purposively selected seven secondary schools with mentoring programmes and total population of 3238 youths. A sample size of 107 youths was randomly selected and fifteen (15) teachers who are in charge of the mentoring programmes in the seven schools were also selected. Proportionate sampling was used to ensure both male and female participants were included in the study. Data was collected using self administered questionnaires. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) computer programme. Descriptive statistics including percentages and frequencies were used while Chi-square test of independence and probit regression was applied to test the hypotheses at 0.05 confidence level. Results indicated that religious institutions, NGOs, institutions like universities, banks and government ministries were involved in mentoring youths in secondary schools; youth were engaged in more than one type of mentoring relationship; traditional, peer, group, team and flash mentoring relationships were associated with youth empowerment. Further, youth perception on mentoring programmes influenced youth empowerment. Content of mentoring programmes such as drugs, self awareness and career development resulted to youth empowerment. The study concludes that mentoring influences youth empowerment in secondary schools. The study therefore recommends policy interventions that would ensure mentoring programmes are part of the school programme as this would ensure allocation of resources to mentoring programmes.
